Chicago Cubs Leave Phoenix Seeking Reset After Walk-Off-Heavy Road Trip

Cubs return to Chicago after frustrating but productive western swing

PHOENIX, Arizona — The Chicago Cubs left Chase Field on Thursday seeking a reset after a turbulent western road trip that ended with four losses in six games, three walk-off defeats in six days and visible frustration from center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong during the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Crow-Armstrong went 1-for-12 in the Arizona series, a slump that prompted a Diamondbacks broadcast montage showing the Cubs star venting on helmets, bats, gloves and other equipment. The outfielder also protested angrily after umpires did not call a balk Wednesday, a missed ruling that the Cubs believed could have produced a run.

The difficult finish in Phoenix came amid an unusually dramatic stretch for Chicago. Over nine days, the Cubs played in five walk-off games. They won the opening two games of last week’s Crosstown series against the White Sox in walk-off fashion, then found themselves on the losing end repeatedly during the trip through Seattle and Arizona.

Manager Craig Counsell described the sequence as extreme but said the club must avoid carrying late-game disappointments from one day into the next. Major League Baseball’s daily schedule, he said, quickly teaches players to review a result briefly before turning their attention to the following game.

Left fielder Ian Happ echoed that approach, saying the Cubs’ identity has been built on responding quickly after setbacks. He said the veteran-heavy group arrived at spring training with a clear objective and has maintained its focus despite a recent stretch in which Chicago lost three of four series.

Pitching results offered encouraging signs despite late losses

Chicago’s bullpen was central to some of the road trip’s roughest moments. Right-hander Jacob Webb allowed walk-off home runs in two consecutive appearances, though the club has little reason to view the outings as evidence of a broader crisis. Webb entered the trip having logged 24 straight scoreless appearances.

There were also concerns about the rotation after left-hander Shota Imanaga recorded only six outs against Seattle, the shortest start of his career. Fellow left-hander Matthew Boyd also endured a difficult outing against the Mariners but rebounded in Phoenix with his strongest start of the month.

The Cubs received particularly encouraging work from newcomers Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes against Arizona. The two right-handers combined for 14 scoreless innings and permitted only five singles, stabilizing a staff that had been tested by several close games and late leads.

Chicago’s offense showed its own capacity for explosive production despite Crow-Armstrong’s quiet series. During three days on the trip, the Cubs scored 30 consecutive runs against opponents, setting a franchise record. Crow-Armstrong had also been productive in Seattle before arriving in Arizona, collecting four hits over three games, including two home runs.

That contrast captured the Cubs’ view of the trip: frustrating losses and individual struggles did not erase the quality of baseball the club believes it can sustain. Crow-Armstrong said August road trips can be a grind, but he saw substantial positives in the team’s performance.

Chicago still entered Thursday with the fifth-best record in baseball and its World Series ambitions intact. Gausman said the roster’s defense, offense and pitching depth leave few obvious weaknesses. The Cubs are now back in Chicago, while the club looks to move past the western trip and prepare for its next series.